Healthy Jose a contrast to forlorn former team

Kevin Kernan
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JUPITER, Fla. — Jose Reyes was supposed to be the injured one. Four hours before Reyes played against the Mets as a Marlin for the first time yesterday, the Miami shortstop was asking for a medical update on his friend David Wright.

“How did David get hurt?’’ Reyes asked. After he got the details, the Miami shortstop was told that his Mets replacement Ruben Tejada was out with a slight groin pull. Reyes shook his head and said, “No way.’’

Reyes is gone, but injuries keep happening to the Mets. Reyes then made this prediction, telling the Post, “I think this year I am going to play a full season. I’ve prepared myself to do that. Right now there is nothing to worry about and all my focus is on the field.’’

AP

Jose Reyes

Reyes got one at-bat in the Marlins 3-1 win over the Mets at Roger Dean Stadium, grounding back to pitcher R.A. Dickey. Rains came and Reyes was out of the game in the third. You can’t be too careful with your $106 million shortstop. He seems convinced everything is going to come up gold now that he has the gold.

The Marlins are spending money. The Madoff Mets are not.

“I’m very happy here,’’ Reyes said. “This team wants to win.’’

The Mets are just trying to hold onto the life preserver.

With this latest batch of injury news his old team is facing, Reyes noted, “I always say nobody ever wants to get hurt. Injuries just happen, especially for the kind of game that I play. I play the game hard,

and with my speed, everything I do, I do quick. Injuries are going to happen sometime.

“It’s like when you pull a hamstring when you’re just running to first base, you don’t want to pull the hamstring, that thing could happen to anybody,’’ Reyes said. “How many players in the big leagues don’t pull a hamstring?’’

Reyes has brought energy to the Marlins, who are moving into their new spectacular art-filled Miami park.

“It’s big like Citi Field. There will be a lot of triples,’’ Reyes said with a smile. He is the just latest piece of expensive art owner Jeffrey Loria has collected.

His addition has energized the team and brightened the Marlins’ world in many ways. Just read to what outfielder Logan Morrison said of Reyes: “When I’m tired, I just look at him,’’ said Morrison, whose locker sits two doors down from Reyes. “He’s like a cup of coffee for the eyes.’’

This new Marlin is fully caffeinated and fully healthy.

“I always have a lot of energy since I was a little kid,’’ Reyes said with a laugh. “It’s not something I do one day and two days, I am this way every day.’’

Reyes’ wife likes his hair short, so he is keeping it, although he has dyed the tops brown. What’s his favorite thing about being a Marlin?

“Everything,’’ Reyes said. “The way the players are, the way the coaches are, everybody has the right attitude, starting from the manager.’’ Reyes then offered this about manager Ozzie Guillen: “He has a lot of energy, bro. I don’t know if he has as much as me, but he’s there.’’

He admitted he misses the New York fans “because they supported me there when I had a lot of ups and downs,’’ but added, “I have to get used to it, I’m no longer there.’’

He’s looking forward to when the Marlins come to New York April 24-26. “It’s going to be crazy,’’ he said.

Reyes will be renting a home in Miami this season. He will continue to live in New York for at least one more offseason. He has taken over the Marlins’ clubhouse and has spent a lot of time with his new third baseman Hanley Ramirez, taking him on in “MLB 2K12” nearly every day. When they play, Reyes is the Red Sox, Ramirez is the Phillies.

“We have a very good relationship. We’re very happy to be on the same team,’’ Reyes said.

They’re happy and healthy right now.

kevin.kernan@nypost.com

Jose Reyes, the Mets, Mets, Marlins, Marlins, Madoff Mets, Fla.

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Howard signs waiver, will stay with Magic

Orlando, Fla. -- Magic center Dwight Howard signed a contract extension in 2007 hoping he would be in Orlando as long as the city's famous mouse.

For at least another season that remains a possibility.

Howard signed papers Thursday agreeing to waive the early termination option in his contract, guaranteeing he will be with the Magic at the beginning of the 2012-13 season. His decision ends the season-long drama of whether he would be dealt prior to the trade deadline and before the Magic risked losing him in free agency.

The Magic center had the option of ending his five-year deal in July and entering the open market.

"I'm glad this is finally over," Howard said at a press conference to announce the new pact. "...It's not as easy as some people think. It's been very hard. We're talking a career-changing event. Most people don't see that.

"I'm very loyal and I've always put loyalty above anything."

Howard requested a trade in the preseason and maintained that stance until changing his mind this week and expressing a desire to remain in Orlando this season.

The move provides some temporary stability in what has been a tension-filled regular season for the Magic. Howard had requested to be traded and gave the Magic a list of three teams - the New Jersey Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks - that he wanted his agent to be allowed to talk to.

At the time Howard expressed frustration with Magic management and what he felt was an unwillingness to include him in personnel decisions or to improve the roster around him. He went as far as to praise the relationship he felt All-Star Dirk Nowitzki has with Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban.

Following those December revelations a daily drama began trailing the Magic and upset a fan base that lived through Shaquille O'Neal leaving town to join the Lakers in 1996.

The soap opera included a very awkward All-Star weekend in Orlando last month. Talk centered on Howard and his plans for the summer of 2012. During the weekend, the 26-year-old center repeatedly stated his affinity for the only city he has played for during his eight NBA seasons.

He maintained that position until a surprise statement following the Magic's home victory over Miami Tuesday in which he pulled back his trade request, saying he wanted to stay in Orlando this season.

Howard said Thursday's decision was in part, to give the Magic a chance to win a NBA title. He said "he's all in" and ready to give the organization a full season to improve the roster going forward.

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Dwight Howard, ORLANDO, Fla., Orlando, Dallas Mavericks, Magic management, Los Angeles Lakers, Magic, Shaquille O'Neal

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Knicks playing like dead team walking

George Willis
Follow George on Twitter
Blog: By George

Heading into the fourth quarter of yesterday’s game at the Garden, the Jumbotron that hangs over the court flashed images of various Knicks and celebrities pleading with the crowd “to make some noise.” By the end of the game the noise heard was an assortment of boos and, coming from the rafters, some chants of “Fire D’Antoni.” The disenchantment was well-deserved.

The Knicks are lost, lost as much as Gilligan and The Skipper were on the island with little hope of being rescued. Yesterday’s 106-94 loss to the Sixers was the kind of eyesore that makes you think it’s never going to get any better.

Despite playing at home for the first time since an 0-4 road trip, the Knicks looked lethargic and detached. The most troubling sign is everyone from head coach Mike D’Antoni on down has no solution for how to end a five-game losing streak that has turned the Knicks into zombies in sneakers.

The worst thing you can say about a team is it has no heart, but that’s basically what D’Antoni said about his Knicks after they were outscored 38-24 in the third quarter and trailed by as many as 21 points in the fourth. When asked if it was the offense or defense that troubled him more, D’Antoni said it was the team’s “spirit” he questioned.

“We hit a snag and we seem to wither,” the exasperated coach said. “For some reason, we haven’t overcome any kind of obstacles.”

He talked about fighting hard and playing with more of a sense of urgency, but that’s nothing the Knicks haven’t heard before.

“It just doesn’t resonate all the time,” D’Antoni said.

Therein lies the problem.

It’s clear D’Antoni is in danger of losing this team — if he hasn’t already. The body language on the court and in the locker room is that of a team without an identity or direction. Anything associated with “Linsanity” should be considered memorabilia. The Knicks looked so bad yesterday they might as well drop the “L.”

D’Antoni all but gave up on his team in the fourth quarter yesterday, pulling Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire and finishing the game with J.R. Smith, Steve Novak, Tyson Chandler, Jeremy Lin and Landry Fields. D’Antoni insisted he wasn’t trying to send a message to his stars.

“It didn’t feel like it was fair to take them out and try something else,” he said of sticking with Smith and Novak.

Stoudemire and Anthony tried to be good soldiers about being benched, guessing D’Antoni was trying to save them for tonight’s game against the Bulls at Chicago. But the expression on Stoudemire’s face was one of frustration.

“Right now we’re not having fun,” he said. “We’re just going through the motions.”

Observations from his teammates weren’t any more encouraging.

“I’m disappointed with our effort,” Chandler said. “That’s one thing you can control.”

Baron Davis added, “A lot of times we’re playing on our heels. We’re trying to figure things out instead of forcing our will on the game.”

And the obvious from Iman Shumpert: “Sometimes we play with energy and sometimes we don’t. When we put 48 minutes together, we’ll be good. But until we do we’ll be an up and down team.”

D’Antoni knows he needs to fix this mess or the Knicks will get someone who can. The season and a playoff spot are quickly slipping away. If this week’s games against the Bulls, the Blazers and the Pacers don’t produce any encouraging results then a change will need to be made to salvage the season. Right now, D’Antoni seems clueless.

“Collectively, we just didn’t play well,” he said. “Collectively, our spirit’s not good and collectively our defense is not very good at all. Collectively, we just didn’t do what we’re supposed to do. We’ve got to solve that somehow.”

If not, the noise for his firing is only going to get louder.

george.willis@nypost.com

Knicks, Knicks, D’Antoni, Mike D’Antoni

Nypost.com

Santa Anita Results

FIRST-1 1/16m; $23,000; clm($30,000); 3YO

2

Fluxx (Flores)

2.80

2.10

2.10

1

Freckles Galore (Bejrno)

4.20

2.40

6

Singmeasong (Flores)

2.40

* $1 Exacta (2-1) $4.00 * $1 Superfecta (2-1-6-5) $53.10 * $1 Trifecta (2-1-6) $13.50

Winner picked by Vic C

SECOND-5 1/2 fur; $19,000; clm($20,000) 4up

5

Goux Wuld D (Flrs)

3.20

2.40

2.10

1

Cut n' Deal (Stra)

11.20

5.20

8

Our Last Monte (Garcia)

2.10

* Daily Double (2-5) $5.40 * $1 Exacta (5-1) $16.70 * $1 Superfecta (5-1-8-4) $480.30 * $1 Trifecta (5-1-8) $35.30

Double picked by Vic C

THIRD-6 fur; $60,000; alw; 3YO(f)

5

Vck Vctor (Bejrno)

10.20

4.00

2.40

1

Briteness (Rosario)

2.80

2.40

4

Twelve Folds (Pedroza)

2.60

* $1 Pick 3 (2-5-5) 3 Correct $19.20 * Daily Double (5-5) $20.60 * $1 Exacta (5-1) $14.00 * $1 Trifecta (5-1-4) $23.80

Pick Three picked by Vic C

FOURTH-6 fur; $23,000; clm($30,000); 3YO

5

Lemon Hro (Krggr)

5.60

3.80

2.80

1

Wrrens Vndlucy (Pdroz)

10.80

4.60

3

Nifty Dream (SantiagoReyes)

3.20

* $1 Pick 3 (5-5-5) 3 Correct $31.90 * Daily Double (5-5) $41.80 * $1 Exacta (5-1) $31.70 * $1 Superfecta (5-1-3-7) $539.50 * $1 Trifecta (5-1-3) $170.40

FIFTH-6 1/2 fur(T); $35,000; clm($32,0); 3YO

6

Tasty Treat (Tlmo)

21.20

7.00

4.00

5

Love My Way (Bejarano)

3.40

2.60

1

Belle Gallantey (Maldonado)

3.80

Scr: Candy and Thunder.

* $0.5 Pick 5 (2-5-5-5-6) 5 Correct $355.90 * $0.5 Pick 4 (5-5-5-6) 4 Correct $257.15 * $1 Pick 3 (5-5-6) 3 Correct $145.50 * $1 Trifecta (6-5-1) $144.70 * $1 Superfecta (6-5-1-7) $371.70 * Daily Double (5-6) $71.80 * $1 Exacta (6-5) $26.00

SIXTH-1 1/16m; $19,000; clm($10,000); 4up

4

Blu Tmburn (Tlm)

14.00

6.80

3.40

3

R Vicarious Girl (Flores)

5.60

3.20

7

Lauren C (Krigger)

3.00

* $1 Pick 3 (5-6-4) 3 Correct $179.40 * Daily Double (6-4) $114.80 * $1 Exacta (4-3) $31.90 * $1 Superfecta (4-3-7-6) $645.70 * $1 Trifecta (4-3-7) $130.80

SEVENTH-mile; $58,000; alw; 4up

6

Gm of Sul (Espnz)

18.00

9.00

6.40

5

Caelis (Krigger)

5.60

3.60

8

Let's Go Cheyenne (Talamo)

4.40

* $1 Pick 3 (6-4-6) 3 Correct $609.10 * Daily Double (4-6) $121.60 * $1 Exacta (6-5) $50.20 * $1 Superfecta (6-5-8-2) $844.50 * $1 Trifecta (6-5-8) $248.90

EIGHTH-$56,000, mdn spl wt, 3YO, 6f, clear.

4

Lov Tht Actn (Tlm)

38.60

12.60

8.60

5

Derby Gold (Garcia)

2.60

2.40

1

Bringon the Wain (Krigger)

4.40

Scr: Pork Chop.

* Pick 6 (5-5-6-4-6-4) 6 Correct $65,896.40, 5 Correct $2,353.40 * $0.5 Pick 4 (6-4-6-4) 4 Correct $2,169.65 * $1 Pick 3 (4-6-4) 3 Correct $1,000.00 * Daily Double (6-4) $258.40 * $1 Exacta (4-5) $51.50 * $1 Superfecta (4-5-1-2) $2,062.60 * $1 Trifecta (4-5-1) $296.40

Attendance 3,492.

Handle $759,871.

Total Handle $5,634,331.

Trifecta, Daily Double

Nypost.com

Rangers’ power play flops again

OTTAWA — The Rangers’ power play continued to struggle during Thursday night’s 4-1 loss to the Senators, going 0-for-4 during 7:27 of total time. That makes it 8-for-46 of the past 15 games.

“I think as the power play progressed through the game it got better because we were shooting the puck,” Tortorella said. “We just don’t shot the puck enough.

“We don’t’ have a big shot from the point, first of all,” Tortorella added. “I thought it got better as we were banging away.”

What is normally a boost to a team’s momentum, the power play has become a burden for the Rangers. Look no further than when they started the second period on the man-advantage, down 2-1, and over 1:29 they couldn’t generate a single shot.

REUTERS

Ottawa Senators' goalie Ben Bishop stops a shot on net by Brian Boyle.

“It doesn’t help us tonight when we need something for us to work for us to get into the game,” Tortorella said.

The first unit was made up of Michael Del Zotto, Derek Stepan, Brad Richards, Marian Gaborik and Ryan Callahan.

***

In his second game back from injuring his foot, captain Callahan played 17:59 and scored his 26th goal of the season on a diving tip-in of a cross-ice pass from Brad Richards. He has tallied 12 points (nine goals, three assists) in his last 12 games, including three goals in his last four games.

Callahan did not participate in the morning skate — which is not unusual — but was seen leaving Scotiabank Place Thursday afternoon with his right foot in a walking boot. He injured the right foot blocking a shot by Ilya Kovalchuk on Feb. 27 and missed three games.

This was just the second time this season the Rangers have lost after scoring the first goal, their record an astounding 30-2-3.

***

It was a one-game swap on defense, as Anton Stralman re-entered the lineup in place of rookie Steve Eminger. Though Stralman has gone through his fair share of troubles this season — all acutely recognized by Tortorella — he played a solid 13:53 and recorded an assist on Callahan’s goal.

Though Eminger came out for warm-ups, he was scratched for the seventh time in his past eight games.

***

Martin Biron’s start snapped Henrik Lundqvist’s 26-game appearance streak against the Senators, dating back to Dec. 26, 2005. ... With Friday night’s game in Chicago, the Rangers will complete their 12th of 14 back-to-backs this season. Thursday night’s loss took their season record in the first game to 8-1-3 (3-0-0 at home, 5-1-3 on the road). In the second game, they are 8-1-2 (6-0-0 at home, 2-1-2 on the road). Since 2009-10, the team is 29-9-4 in the second game of back-to-backs, with a 15-3-1 mark at the Garden and 14-6-3 on the road over that span.

bcyraglis@nypost.com

Brad Richards, Tortorella, Rangers, Senators, Senators, Michael Del Zotto, Marian Gaborik, Derek Stepan, Anton Stralman, power play, Steve Eminger, Ilya Kovalchuk

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Hooray for Hollywood and Carmike

Shares of Carmike Cinemas, the fourth-largest US theater chain, rose 6.4 percent, to $8.47 after a Piper Jaffray analyst predicted movie ticket sales in the US and Canada will rebound this year.

Carmike is positioned to benefit from a rebound in box-office revenue in the US and Canada, James Marsh, an analyst for Piper Jaffray, said in a note to investors.

Marsh raised his 2012 profit estimate to 80 cents a share, from 52 cents. He estimated 2012 sales of $509 million, up from his previous figure of $465 million.

Marsh upgraded Carmike shares to “overweight,” from “neutral” in a January report.

Ticket sales in the US and Canada will increase 6.7 percent this year, Marsh said in the note. Theaters sold $10.2 billion in tickets last year, a 3.4 percent decline from 2010, according to Hollywood.com Box-Office.

Carmike Cinemas, Carmike, Piper Jaffray, James Marsh, Canada, movie ticket, US theater chain, online

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CHSAA Class AA girls basketball state tournament preview

All the debate will finally be settled.

By week’s end the CHSAA’s top girls basketball team will be crowned in a tournament that rivals any in the country with talent and its grueling nature.

Nationally ranked Nazareth will look for a second straight crown and a trip upstate to defend its state Federation Class AA title in Albany. Christ the King, tje winner two years ago, is hoping to get back to the mountaintop after winning its 26th Brooklyn/Queens title in 28 tries. St. Anthony’s, also nationally ranked, is trying to erase the memory of last year’s defeat to Nazareth in the semifinals and earn its first trip upstate in the highest classification.

Denis Gostev

Nazareth's Darius Faulk will try to lead her team to a second straight CHSAA Class AA state title.

Denis Gostev

Christ the King and Rayne Connell head into the tournament off winning the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens title.

Bishop Ford coach Mike Toro felt all year he had a group talented enough to finally get the Falcons to Albany and they have proven that. A loss to CK in the diocesan final notwithstanding, Ford has been arguably the city most consistent team. A year ago, Molloy was on the road to claiming a state Federation Class A crown and this year was about accomplishing more. A deep run to a title would certainly be that.

St. John the Baptist started the season slow, but ever since getting star Anastasia Williams back the Cougars have become a force playing at the level expected by coach Ted Oberg. With St. Peter’s and St. Michael Academy closed, Moore Catholic has developed into the premier Archdiocesan program. Some success in the Class AA state tournament is the next step.

SCHEDULE

March 7

Quarterfinals @ St. Francis Prep

4 p.m. – Bishop Ford vs. Moore Catholic

5:45 p.m. – Nazareth vs. St. John the Baptist

7:30 p.m. – Archbishop Molloy vs. St. Anthony’s

March 9

Semifinals @ Archbishop Molloy

5 p.m. – Bishop Ford/Moore vs. Molloy/St. Anthony’s

7 p.m. – Christ the King vs. Nazareth/St. John the Baptist

March 10

Final @ Christ the King

7 p.m. – Semifinal winners

Archbishop Molloy Stanners

Head coach: Scott Lagas

Record: 18-9

Player to watch: Amani Tatum

Outlook: The Stanners may not be the sexy pick in this tournament, but there is no reason why they can’t make a run. Molloy does own two wins over CK, beat Ford and only fell to Nazareth by 10 in their last meeting. There may not be a tougher competitor than point guard Amani Tatu, who can get to the basket at will. Forward Carolyn Gallagher can score in bunches and will try to rebound from a tough outing against Ford. Nyasha Irizarry and Kamille Ejerta can both light things up from the outside. Patti Drogler adds a toughness inside.

Bishop Ford Falcons

Head coach: Mike Toro

Record: 22-5

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Nazareth, CHSAA Class AA state, Darius Faulk, Christ the King, Archbishop Molloy, Anastasia Williams, St. Michael Academy, Bishop Ford, CHSAA, Ted Oberg, Amani Tatu

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